Lamu coal plant could kill 1,600 people – lobby group

The controversial Lamu coal plant could kill at least 1,600 people through dangerous pollutants and leave thousands more with life-threatening illnesses, one witness told the Environment Tribunal yesterday.
He said the proposed plant’s Environment and Social Impact Assessment omits the impact of the pollutants on public health.
“If the plant is operated for 40 years, it will be responsible for 1,600 premature deaths through exposure of the population to toxins,” said Lauri Myllyvirta, an expert on air quality standards with environment lobby Greenpeace.
The figure was strongly disputed by environment lawyers Judy Githinji of the National Environment Management Authority and Elias Masika, who represented the project developers.
“The study clearly identifies the adverse effects and provides mitigation. Furthermore, the lifespan of the proposed Lamu coal plant is 25 years,” Masika said.
The hearings were convened at the College of Insurance in Nairobi’s South C after being adjourned three times because some tribunal members were absent.Read original article here